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In keeping with the “Four Gift Rule” here are my Christmas Wishlist items for this year.

1. Want: Umbra box. I think this is just up my alley. Umba box is a subscription to a box of 2-3 handmade surprises which is delivered to your doorstep every month. They have different length subscriptions and each month is a new surprise of fresh handmade goodness. See, just my thing!

2. Need: I’m a big visual person so when I’m planning out my events/upcoming workshops for JNorthcraft Studios, I always end up making a huge calendar wall so I can post-it note ideas. One of these extra large desk calendars would be great!

Aveda hand relief. I heard this lotion is great for “art teacher hands”. You know the type – messy, germy, always dry.

3. Wear: I lost my little September Sapphire charm on my special “e” necklace. This one looks very similar and I like the dark sapphire color.I would love a nice pair of yoga pants. Since I don’t “go to work” everyday, it would be nice to have some nice looking around the house outfits. I also could really use some new pjs, preferably not flannel but otherwise I’m not picky.

4. Read: Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. I read the first few chapters of this but then had to return it to the library. Her last book was so great for me and I have high hopes for this one.

I realize it has been quite a while but let’s just jump into this thing like we are old friends that don’t need all that “catch up” to know that we are still great pals. Mmmkay.

This post is for the fam so here you go!

(I wish I could site that original source but I don’t know for sure where it first came from!)

Evelyn

Little Girl will be nearly 16 months old by the time Christmas rolls around this year. In thinking about her Christmas wishlist, we would like to keep it mostly simple as stated in “The Four Gift Rule”.

Want: The girl is loving some play-doh action these days! She also seriously enjoys carrying items around the house and just recently started “pretending” as seen in feeding Copper with a spoon and some blocks. She will also be receiving a play kitchen sink set-up from you-know-who so some great, very realistic play food items would be awesome. She is very musical and appreciates anything with a good tune so she can shake her groove thing. Carol (her sitter) also mentioned she is enjoying playing legos (the bigger kind) with her pal Alyssa.

Need: We have mostly worn out the fun bibs we have and mama isn’t into washing cloth bibs so more bibs similar to these with a pocket that are easy to wipe or wash would be so very nice.

Wear: We could also call this a need but we would love to have some more pjs. It seems the slim fitting kinds with NO feet (footies drive that girl crazy!) are preferred in a 12-18 month size range. (We also never met an outfit with an animal on the top that we didn’t just adore!)

Read: Baby girl LOVES dogs and fish. But mama loves colors so this book or this book would be fun. :)

And if you are in the market for a keepsake, I just ran across this sweet little nativity set. I realize it is recommended for older tots but I think Evelyn would really enjoy it and do fine with the small parts.

Well, that was a fun chat. Maybe I’ll just have to come back tomorrow!

News of my co-worker being let go gave my stomach a turn. On one hand, I don’t want this job to be my job next year but on the other hand, who are they to say if I get to be here or not? I want to call the shots!

As I welcomed in my kindergarten kiddos and taught them about Claude Monet’s Waterlilies. I talked about curved water lines, cool colors, and how to use the oil pastels but in my mind I thought about how my meeting will go at 3:15. As silly as it sounds, I picture myself trying to be like the girls who are let go on The Bachelor. Stay strong, don’t let them crack you. Nod, smile, don’t say anything I can’t take back, and don’t give them the satisfaction of getting the best of me. Be gracious and strong. Save the sob story for the car ride home. And even then, hold my head high. It isn’t personal. Well, it is but they don’t really know me so how can they really be the judge of me? It’s business. As a certified art teacher, I cost more than a para-educator does who will do my job for less. I know that. I also know that the kids won’t really get to know about Claude Monet next year.

Trusting that this closed door will be the best new beginning and that it is always darkest before the dawn.

written on 4/15/12

My meeting came and I held my head high. I was let go. Turns out our building leadership does not believe we can support a certified art teacher at our school. I was told my performance as a teacher is outstanding, I have passion, if there is anything he can do to help me find another job…etc… None of the information was news to me. I asked hard questions and got the weak answers I expected. I walked away knowing that this was meant to be and that the next two months left of the school year were going to be incredibly hard and very, very long. And here I am a month later, still feeling the weight of the school year with one month left. Still feeling the sting of being let go but also feeling a weight lifted knowing that I won’t have to make that hard choice of “should I go back next year?” The decision was made for me. There are a lot of uncertainties about the next few months but it doesn’t even seem to matter right now. I will be home. I will be with my baby girl! I will be doing what I love most. We will figure it out and we’ll all float on.

Evelyn, three months old. Picture sent from Dan’s phone to me at work. Titled “Should be sleeping” :)

***Since I had to go back to work last week, Dan has had the privilege of taking care of the little Ms. on Thursday, Friday, and today (Monday). Tomorrow is her first day with our sitter, Stephanie. I had mucho to do to get ready for the day, one of them being a little write up of a loose schedule for Stephanie about what to expect of Evelyn. After putting her down for the night, I came out of her room to find this little write-up according to Dan. I’d say he’s got this whole thing figured out, a regular Mr. Mom if you will. And to that, I am so very thankful.

A day in the life of Evelyn (according to Daddy)

Wake-up – Usually starts around 8 or 9 with some squeaks and sometimes a little crying to welcome the morning and get the blood flowing. A little play time and some food should follow shortly. She needs about four to six ounces at each feeding, but she may forget that and try and get by on three. She also needs a couple solid burps, one halfway thru the bottle, one at the end. She’s not always a big fan of burps, but she always needs them. She also needs to sit up for ten or twenty minutes after eating to keep the spit up down. While she’s hanging out, it’s play time and then a diaper change. We like to live by the motto “Eat, play, sleep.”

Hello, New Day – Including the essentials above, Evelyn likes to be awake for about an hour and a half and expires quickly if its much longer than that. Depending on her mood and the alignment of the planets she likes: laying on her zebra platmat, watching the ceiling fan and playing with her toys, sitting in her Bumbo and playing with her toys, being held in a wide variety of ways including like a football while you’re standing, riding frontward in the Moby, crying, sitting in her swing with the mobile, standing up in her jumper and generally being consoled about the hardships of life.

Mmm, Morning Nap – Evelyn goes down for naps best after a little holding with swaying/rocking and some pacifier time. Sometimes, she can go down with her eyes open and be happy. Other times, she can be totally out and then open her eyes when you lay her down. Nutty, but true. Be sure to put her on her belly and help her find her pacifier if she wants it. She’s great about holding it in with her cute little fist. If she fusses, pop the pacifier back in or blast some Weezer (new or old, she’s not a too cool hipster). Seriously, she goes to sleep better with some Pork and Beans. She’ll do the things she wants to do, by the way. Sometimes that means sleeping for an hour, sometimes its more like twenty minutes. One look in the mirror and she’s tickled pink. But really, if she gives you a run-around with the paci more than three times then she’s not really tuckered out enough for this so=called nap.

Lunch, Milk Again – Similar deal to the beginning of her day, but you’re a little more likely to see some smiles when she wakes up. She usually doesn’t get changed til a half hour after she’s eaten. Her diapers have four snaps showing and she doesn’t mind the diaper wash applied directly to her and then a little powder between the rolls for good measure.

Mmm, Longgg Afternoon Nap – If things go well, our little lady will sleep for two or three hours for her afternoon nap, though it may only be an hour. Sometimes she fights going down and she may or may not eat a couple more ounces of milk at this time, but once she’s down she’s out. If she wakes up, she may need changed, more food or someone or something to entertain her for an hour and a half or so.

Mom will be home around 4:15 so hurry up and get that nap in because she is always dying to see your cute face!

Do you need more daily Evelyn doses?

I’ve been squirreling away at a blog of her very own! Always Evelyn is a place for you to find daily and monthly pictures, milestones, videos and all things Evelyn. Go there now to see what you’ve been missing :)

Two months – You are over 8 weeks old! I didn’t believe you had gotten any bigger but then I glanced back at your One Month photos and wow, how you have filled out. You are no longer a scrawny little thing but instead have started to be an expressive, sometimes serious, sometimes smiley face little gal. I love your button nose and the tiny little peeks at your now emerging right dimple. You have a mad obsession with your hands – to suck on, to flail, to ball up into fists, you name it…they are your best friends. Your sleeping is somewhat more predictable and seems to be becoming less and less at a time (BOOO only 3 hours at a time overnight) and if we could figure out how to get you to sleepytown before 12:30am we would all be a little less crazy, you silly night owl!

It may sound cliche but it really is hard to remember times without you. We love you little Evelyn and are so glad we get to keep you forever, well… at least until you go to college. One month at time though, right?